Adventures in Teaching Kids How to Code

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Volunteer’s Week stories: Robert Bilsland

Robert Bilsland has been volunteering with Code Club since the very start, and his enthusiasm and passion never fails to amaze us. He told us a bit more about his volunteering experience…

For me being a Code Club volunteer is such a rewarding opportunity. Each week being able to share my enthusiasm for computers and what they can do with the next generation of content creators, coders and users is just fantastic.

The start of each academic year is a wonderful time, meeting a new group of children, almost blank canvases, ready to go on a journey of exploration with Code Club. From the outset I make it clear that we are all there to have fun (including the teachers), to share new discoveries with each other and bring their own creativity to everything they do.

Robert (centre back) with his Code Club at Malvern Wells Primary

Volunteering is made worthwhile when a child grasps a concept or corrects a bug. When they discover things by themselves or create something new and totally unexpected. It really shows they are learning and not just blindly following instructions on a worksheet.

Being able to give something back and feel like I’m making a difference, however small, is so important to me. Seeing children head off to secondary school with a new understanding of what computers can do for them, and their eyes wide open to a world of possibilities just feels so right. Even if they think that computers aren’t for them, just having a better understanding of how they work, and think, will definitely help them in their future learning and in today’s modern world.

Thanks Robert!

If you’d like to visit Robert’s Star Club at Malvern Wells Primary in Worcester, you can get in touch here.

Remember, you can also apply for your Code Club to become a Star Club for 2016- the deadline for applications is 17th June. Apply now!